A Simple Misunderstanding
by idsaveyouinaheartbeat
Summary: Caroline goes to New Orleans only to find Klaus getting cozy with a certain redhead. Klaroline one-shot.


**This was just a one of many one-shot ideas that I play out in my head, only this time I actually wrote it down. After seeing the Klaus and Genevieve scene I wanted some Klaroline feels and didn't find any drabbles or anything so I just wrote my own.**

**If any of you have read my other Klaroline fic, Realizations, just know that I'm currently working on the next chapter and it should be up soon (:**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Caroline had finally done it. She had packed her things – or at least the valuables and set off for New Orleans.

When Elena returned she revealed that she saw and heard everything while Katherine took over her body. She said it was as if she was a prisoner in her own body, she had no choice but to watch and do nothing as Stefan started to fall for her again, as Damon spiraled out of control with Enzo, and as her best friend admitted to sleeping with Klaus.

When Caroline found out that it was Katherine she told instead of Elena she was disappointed that it wasn't her best friend accepting her decision to sleep with Klaus, but she was also relieved. She thought she could find the perfect way to tell Elena. Those hopes were squashed when she found out Elena already knew. And boy was she pissed.

She got the speech and scolding she had expected the first time, but after getting enough harsh remarks and snide comments from Tyler she didn't take it sitting down from Elena. She defended herself, but none of her words were good enough for Elena. She had already drawn up a picture of her in her head as the worst best friend in history and started avoiding her. Which was pretty difficult considering they shared a dorm room. This also put Bonnie in the middle, adding stress to what she was already going through being the anchor, thus putting a strain on their friendship as well.

And to top it all off college wasn't what she had planned. She was passing each of her classes with flying colors because her sudden lack of a social life left nothing else to do but study. Passing her classes shouldn't have been a problem, but it was. There was no challenge; even the class her creepy professor kicked her out of because she was a freshman wasn't challenging her anymore. So she thought, why not go to the person who had always challenged her, who had always made her rethink the things she wanted and the things she thought she deserved.

She was confident in her decision and wrote a note for her friends and left. She had made it there sooner than she thought, probably because she was so wrapped up in her thoughts and daydreaming of all the possible adventures she could have. It didn't take long for reality to come crashing down.

She was standing on the sidewalk, partially hidden by a tree, watching them. Or rather listening to them.

She watched him push her up against the brick wall, making her mind flash back to him pushing her up against the tree. She watched as he attacked her neck with his mouth and she gasped and moaning while grabbing onto him, thinking back to his endless kisses making her pull back for air only to him to claim her mouth once more while she clutched onto his shoulders.

Soon enough they were moving inside and even though she couldn't see them anymore, she could hear them. Moans and grunts and the sound of clothes hitting the floor soon followed by skin hitting skin assaulted her ears. Over and over and over.

She had known before witnessing them together like that. She saw them chatting while he was painting, something she had never actually seen him do. She saw the gorgeous girl – no, woman – with exotic red hair and bright smile walk up to him. She saw the way he welcomed her conversation and continued painting throughout it. It was the look on the woman's face that got to her. It was a look she had seen on Klaus' face that day in the woods, or at least she thought that's what it was. It was the look of joy and satisfaction of finally getting something you've longed for. That look doubled with the smile that crept onto his mouth while he looked at her and she knew.

He moved on.

She was too late.

She felt numb as she looked down at the suitcase in her hand and a wave of embarrassment washed over her. Stupid, stupid girl.

She took her time walking back to her car, feeling her heart sink further with each step she took, allowing herself to wallow and feel sorry for herself before she had to put her smile back on and head home with her tail between her legs.

She didn't care about the tears falling down her cheeks and didn't bother to wipe them – it's not like she knows anyone here besides the hybrid that's otherwise engaged right now. She couldn't stop the sob that was threatening to bubble out of her throat from doing just that. She felt like a robot as she brought her free hand to her mouth and tried to calm her breathing. She had her eyes focused on her feet and was too busy chanting _just breathe, calm down, just breathe _in her head to notice the man in front of her.

She only noticed him when she collided into his chest – which felt like a brick wall – and dropped her suitcase on the ground. She immediately crouched down to grab her suitcase, fearing that her day already sucked why wouldn't she have a movie moment where you drop your suitcase and all your bras and panties, or other embarrassing items fly out everywhere.

Once it was safely back into the clutches of her hand she looked up at person she walked into, an apology on her lips. That is, until she saw who was in front of her.

"Elijah." She said with wide eyes.

He stared at her for a moment, seemingly trying to place her. "You're Elena's friend, Ms. Forbes if my memory serves me." He stated.

She nodded while trying to work out an escape plan in her mind. There's no way she could out run him and there's a possibility he'd tell Klaus that he ran into, or she ran into him rather, and that would just be too mortifying.

"May I ask what it is that you are doing in New Orleans?" he asked though the tone of his voice told you he thought he has every right to be asking.

"I uh… I… it doesn't matter, I'm leaving." She stuttered not looking him in the eye, focusing on something off to the side of him.

He studied her for a moment before replying, "I may not know you but I have a baby sister and know that red swollen eyes usually means you've been crying, which means you're upset about something, and judging by the offhanded comments Rebekah used to make about you to Niklaus I gather that he has done something to have you running for the hills."

Caroline's mouth opens as she tried to find something to say. Damn Mikaelsons and their freakish ability to read people.

"No he didn't… do anything. I just… I came here to see him I guess and he's… busy so I'll just be on my way." She said as she tried to step around him and leave but was stopped by his hand grabbing her arm.

"I don't have to worry about your friends being here on some silly mission to kill Niklaus do I?" he asked staring her dead in the eye in a way that makes her think he's trying to figure out all her secrets.

"No. It's just me." She almost laughs at the multiple meaning to her words. She's by herself here in New Orleans is the obvious one, but it's also just her in the sense that she probably doesn't have any friends waiting for her back home and she certainly doesn't Klaus to count on anymore.

Elijah nods his head, "Good, I would hate to have to inform Niklaus about another threat on his life, you know how he gets." He said waving his hand.

His phone starts ringing and he answers it after holding a finger indicating Caroline to hold on a minute. "Yes Niklaus what it is?" he asks as he accepts the call, forgoing any greetings.

Caroline's eyes widen and she all but stops breathing in fear that he will hear her through the phone and just somehow know it's her.

"Ah yes well I am here with-" Elijah starts to say before Caroline does something incredibly stupid.

One moment she's holding her breath and the next she's diving through the air reaching for Elijah's phone. She probably shouldn't have put all her strength into it otherwise she probably wouldn't be on the ground on top of an original clutching his phone like a maniac.

"Elijah what-" Klaus' voice is cut off by Caroline ending the call. She lets out a breath and then remembers that she's currently straddling a very scary original that could rip her heart out at any moment.

Scrabbling to pick herself off him, she starts freaking out in a Caroline like manner and apologizing. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me! I'm so stupid oh god please just let me explain, oh crap I got your suit all dirty…" she trails off as she tries pat away the dirt on his shoulders. She bites her lip and pulls her hand away when she notices he's not moving or saying anything.

"I am waiting for an explanation for that display."

She swallows and nervously plays with her daylight ring. "I didn't want you to tell him I was here." She admits quietly. "I came here to see him thinking that… it doesn't matter what I thought, we're not on the same page anymore, I'm starting to think we never were." She laughs humorlessly as tears burned behind her eyes. "I realize I should have called first. He's moving on with his life and… there's no room for me. So please just save me the extra embarrassment and don't tell him."

Don't tell him that I'm here in New Orleans.

Don't tell him that I missed him so much.

Don't tell him that I regret shredding that damn drawing.

Don't tell him that after he left the woods that day I sat down in the leaves we had just previously made love on and cried before I went back to boarding house.

Don't tell him that I foolishly fell for him.

Just don't tell him anything.

Elijah looks at the girl in front him who's trying not to break down and he feels sorry for her.

"I promise I won't say anything to him. I am sorry for what you're going through and I think it's best he does not know. He should be focusing on the war going on here and his unborn child, he doesn't need the distraction." He informs her.

She nods her head and then realizes what he just said. "Unborn child?" she squeaks. "That's not possible. He's… he's dead, he's a vampire. He can't have kids."

"The witches tell us it's natures loophole."

She braces herself for the answer to her next question, "Who… who's the mother?"

He squints his eyes, "I do not think that is of-" Her whisper cuts him off

"Please."

He sighs, "A young woman named Hayley Marshall."

Hayley. Of all people. Hayley. This day officially couldn't get any worse.

She pushes herself once more and asks another question she's not sure she wants the answer to. "And this happened while he was here right?" she surprised herself with how steady her voice sounded despite the sinking feeling in her stomach.

Elijah shook his head and looked at her with what she guessed was an attempt at sympathy, "Judging by how far along she is, the child was conceived while my family was still residing in Mystic Falls."

Correction, now it couldn't get any worse.

While he was trying to win her over he was sleeping with Hayley; the reason his hybrids are dead. She briefly wonders if Tyler knew and if he did why he didn't rub it in her face the minute he found out her woodsy activities with Klaus. And as soon as she thinks about what happened in the woods that day, she feels a sob building deep in her throat. He didn't tell her. They had come to an understanding that day in the woods, they had slept together for god sakes and he didn't care to mention his baby momma back home in New Orleans. He played her. He got what he wanted and tossed her aside. Just like everyone else.

"I think I should go now." This time she surprised herself with how hollow her voice sounded. It matched how she felt.

This time Elijah didn't stop her from leaving, instead he just watched as she slowly moved past him and kept walking.

Her shoulders were slouched and shaking and she kept her eyes on her feet as she forced her legs to move.

On her excruciating walk back to her car she couldn't get her mind off of how excited she was to see the look on Klaus' face when he opened the door and saw her standing there with her suitcase, ready to start the next chapter of her life. With him.

The sob she had been holding back wracked her body and she had to physically keep herself from crumpling to the ground.

You foolish girl.

* * *

"What the bloody hell happened Elijah?" Klaus asked him the moment he sat down on the barstool next to him.

"Ah it seems as though modern technology isn't all it's cracked up to be." He said while waving down the bartender.

Klaus nodded his head and went back to the drink he was nursing. Elijah decides to keep the promise he made to Ms. Forbes and keep their run in a secret.

But he does keep an eye on his brother and doesn't miss the way Niklaus' brows furrow together as he subtly leans closer to him and takes deep breaths, as if he's catching the scent of something familiar on him.

Interesting.

* * *

_Five years later_

"Oh come on Caroline, who doesn't want to experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans?" an accented voice asks her.

She sighs, "I don't see why we have to go, we're vampires, it's not like we don't have all the time in the world to go."

He sits next to her on the couch and grabs her hands, "Please sweetheart, just this once can we do something I fancy doing?" He all but begs her.

She glares at him before sighing again and nodding, "Fine."

He jumps of the couch in victory, "You won't regret it. Now let's get a move on pretty lady." He winks at her.

She scoffs, "Ugh as long as you don't call me pretty lady again."

He bumps his hip with hers and wraps his arm loosely around her shoulders, "Oh come on darling you know you love me."

She rolls her eyes at him but can't help the smile that forms on her lips as she mimics him and bumps her hip up against his, "In your dreams Enzo."

He simply laughs and says, "Don't I know it."

She and Enzo had become unlikely friends. When Caroline returned to Mystic Falls her friends, with the exception of Stefan, weren't very welcoming of her. She can't blame them this time. She all but ditched them for Klaus only to come crawling back when Klaus didn't want her. It had taken a while for that particular wound to heal.

She had been packing more of her things into her car to head off to a destination not yet decided when Enzo approached her. Apparently after all the drama he caused with Damon and the setback it caused with Damon's relationship with Elena he was exiled too. Elena didn't approve of their toxic friendship so Damon turned his back on him. Again.

At least this time he wasn't trapped in a cage in a burning building.

Stefan too didn't approve of Enzo, and no one else did because they all sided with Elena. Not wanting to be the next one to get voted off the island she assumes.

He approached her and offered if she was interested in a road trip. She was weary at first, but she figured if she could deal with originals she could deal with this off the rails vampire. They clashed at first, him feeding from the vein and not caring about the dead bodies trailing behind him and her silently judging him while she delicately sucked on a blood bag. Soon enough though they accepted that they were different and set in their ways and slowly they began to enjoy each other's company.

They told tales of their lives, him more so than her considering he's been around longer, they chatted about meaningless things, and played silly games to pass the time in the car such as 20 questions, and I spy. Caroline didn't remember the last time she was that carefree and she absolutely loved it. Enzo also realized that he smiled more on that road trip than he did in the last few decades of his life.

Their friendship quickly grew stronger and deeper, but never once did they cross the barrier between friendship and romance. Caroline was still piecing back together her heart and Enzo admitted to having an ex that he just couldn't seem to quit, but their friendship made things easier for the both of them.

* * *

"Klaus man, two new vampires were spotted in the quarter today, two of your guys are already on it." Marcel states as he walks into the spacious living room where Klaus and Elijah are currently chatting in.

Klaus smirks, "It's been a while since I've gotten to strike fear into unsuspecting vampires."

Elijah rolls his eyes, "Do try to calm your glee brother."

He shrugs, "It's been a while since anything entertaining has happened here don't you think?"

Elijah was about to respond when the front door opened and four pairs of footsteps echoed through the mansion.

Klaus smirked and rubbed his hands together, "This should be fun."

"_I blame you, you're the one who wanted to come here, now look what's happened." A quiet female voice hissed._

"_Take it easy poppet, I'm sure all will be well." A deeper accented voice replied._

The door opened and one of Klaus' vampires enter first followed by the two vampires in question with another of Klaus' vampires trailing behind them.

"Alright, care to tell us what the bloody-" Enzo started to voice his irritation when Caroline cut him off.

"Elijah?" Caroline asked confused. Was he this big bad king those two morons were talking about? "You're the king?" she asked curiously putting air quotes around king, because come on now, seriously?

Klaus who had gotten over the shock that took over him at hearing her voice again spoke up, "No love, that would be me."

Caroline's head whipped around so fast that everyone in the room was surprised it didn't pop off. Her eyes were wide and frantic. She guessed she might run into him here but she didn't think it would be this soon, or like this. "Klaus." It came out barely above a whisper.

For a moment all those feelings before that day in New Orleans came rushing back and hit her with full force until she pushed them away and forced herself to remember what she had seen and what he had neglected to tell her.

"Now love, care to tell me what it is you're doing here?" Klaus asked with a false sincerity in his voice. Though he was indeed curious as to what she was doing here, he didn't like the protective way the bloke next to her was looking at her. Five years and many _distractions _ had done nothing to lessen his feelings for the blonde vampire in front of him, especially with the day in the woods replaying in each of his dreams, her face appearing before his eyes whenever he brought home said _distractions. _And especially not when her name comes out of his mouth, a broken whisper in the middle of ecstasy without his permission.

He constantly told himself that she would show up one day, neatly packed suitcase by her side with a dazzling smile on her face. But every day for five years he was disappointed. Some days he hated her for making him feel this way and other days – most days – he loved her so much and just wished she could love him in return.

And now she was standing in front of him and everything he thought he would say to her when he saw her again vanished from his mind and he was lucky he could form a coherent thought.

Elijah stood silently as he watched the emotions play across Caroline and Niklaus' face before they both shut down and put up their masks. He wasn't surprised by the emotions on Caroline's face given their encounter years ago, but he was surprised by Niklaus' reaction to seeing her. He now knows that her feelings for his brother aren't unrequited, and maybe never have been. He briefly wonders what the past five years would have been like had things gone differently the day Caroline showed up with her suitcase.

"We're here for Mardi Gras, just like hundreds of other people mate." Enzo glaring at Klaus as he answered the question meant for Caroline.

Caroline could see Klaus itching to dig his fangs into Enzo so she intervened before that could happen. "Elijah, look you know I'm not here to cause any harm so can we please just go?" her eyes pleading with him.

Again Elijah was cut off before he could even open his mouth. "And just why would Elijah know that baby vamp?" Marcel asked while eyeing the newcomer's daylight rings.

She sighed in annoyance, "Because the last time I was here he didn't bring me to see the king," again, using air quotes around king again. "He just let me be on my merry way." She said in frustration.

"The last time you were here?" Klaus asked in a dangerously low voice.

Caroline's eyes widen not having realized what she said. Crap. "That's… that's not what I said." She weakly mumbled in Klaus' direction.

He stepped forward, "Yes it is."

She stared at him not knowing what to say without having to explain the entire humiliating situation, and she'd rather drink vervain than relive that day, with Klaus.

Elijah cleared his throat, "Marcel why don't you and I show our guest here," he trailed off looking at the vampire next to Caroline.

"Enzo." He supplied.

Elijah nodded, "Enzo, a drink in the library shall we?" he finished his question.

Marcel looked confused but one glare from Elijah was enough to have him nodding and directing a reluctant Enzo to the library, the two vampires that brought Caroline and Enzo to the mansion following, Elijah right on their heels.

That left Caroline alone with Klaus and she didn't have a clue as to what was about to happen. She was overwhelmed by the urge the urge to run but held back in fear of what they might do to Enzo if she did that.

"Caroline, explain to me what you meant by 'the last time you were here' please." Klaus said in a demanding but softer voice.

Caroline frowned and sat down on one of the couches in the room. She might as well get comfy if she was about to air her dirty laundry to the last person she wanted to be talking to right now.

"I came to see you a few years back." She mumbled.

Klaus' heart speeding up was audible to both of them. "But you didn't, see me I mean."

"Yes I did. You just didn't see me."

"What does that mean Caroline?" he snapped getting frustrated.

She glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest in a useless attempt to feel less vulnerable, "It means I came to see you but instead I got a nice eyeful and earful of you with some redhead. Which by the way, where is she? I can't wait to meet her, maybe this time she'll have clothes on." She shocked both of them with the venom in her voice. She thought she was over this.

His eyes widened. Redhead? He's had a handful of redheads in the past few years. "When was this Caroline?"

She scoffed, "Do you recall a day about five years ago, you slept with a redhead and Elijah hung up on you when you called, probably to brag about your latest conquest."

Klaus' eyebrows furrowed as he wracked his brain, trying to remember the specific day she was talking about. Realization washed over his face as he remembered. She was there that day? He remembers pushing Genevieve into the wall imaging he was back in Mystic Falls pinning Caroline to that tree. He wished she would have interrupted them; maybe he wouldn't have had spent the afternoon in bed with a woman while thinking about another.

"Damn it Caroline, why didn't you say anything?" he all but yelled at her.

"Seriously? You moved on, excuse me for leaving and trying to do the same." She yelled in anger. How dare he?

"Moved on?" he laughed. He actually had the audacity to laugh at her. Seeing the look of hurt and confusion on her face he quickly killed his laughter and elaborated. "I didn't move on Caroline. She was a distraction. As for you question about meeting her, you can't because she died not long after that day."

Her eyes shot to his face in disbelief. There's no way that everything she went through because of what she saw that day was because of just a simple misunderstanding. She lowered her eyes to hands, "What about Hayley and the baby?" she whispered.

She could practically feel his body tense. "Elijah told me." She said when he didn't say anything.

Klaus cursed his brother in his head; Caroline was never supposed to find out about his mistake and the consequences that followed it. "I don't know what you want to me to say love." He said tiredly.

"I want to know why you didn't tell me." She said looking back at him, the beginning of tears in her eyes.

Klaus sighed, "I didn't want you to know. We had taken a step forward and telling you about Hayley and the child would have set me back one hundred. I'm a selfish man Caroline."

"So you would rather me find out from someone else causing me to believe that everything you ever said to me was complete and utter bullshit, you'd rather make feel like an absolute idiot for thinking I was special – that I meant something to you when I didn't than just tell me the god damn truth?" she asked incredulously, somehow managing to keep her tears from falling but not able to stop her voice from cracking.

A painful sensation erupted in his chest while he looked at her and listened to how he hurt her. He didn't intend on making her second guess herself, he just didn't want to lose her. But it seems as though that might happen anyways.

"If it's any consolation love, the baby wasn't even mine." He tried even though he knew it wouldn't change anything.

"You still slept with her while making epic declarations to me." She said bitterly.

He was about to apologize when he realized something. "You know what love, I'm not sorry that I slept with her." He held his hand up when he saw that she was about say something. "No I'm talking now. You're right I was making epic declarations as you called them but none of that meant anything to you. You had your friends and your perfect little boyfriend, what did I have besides a family that no longer knows the meaning of the word? Nothing. I make no apologies for seeking comfort from someone who didn't scoff and roll her eyes at everything I said and did. Don't sit there and act as if I betrayed you, I wanted you! You knew that, you knew how I felt about you and didn't care! So what I do in my spare time quite frankly love is none of your bloody business." He was on his feet towering over her yelling at her by the end of his speech. For a minute he just stood there staring at her shocked face wondering if he had gone too far.

Her mouth opened as her eyes widened even more than they already were and he was confused. He was about to ask why she was looking at him like that when he felt the wetness on his right cheek. He raised his hand to his cheek and looked down at his now wet hand as if he didn't know what was going on. He cursed himself for not reigning in his emotions before something like this happened.

He quickly turned away from her and walked to stand by the unlit fireplace staring into it as if he could light it with his eyes. He stayed like that with his back to her and after a few minutes he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "You're right. I have no right to be upset about what happened. You're a guy and guys have… well… needs. Even though I rejected you all those times I guess I still felt as if I had a claim on you, it's stupid I know, but…" she trailed off and slowly trailed her hand down his arm. "I still think you could have told me about the baby but what's done is done and it was years ago, I don't want to fight with you." She admitted softly as she slid her hand into his, smiling when his fingers almost immediately wrapped around hers.

"So where does that leave us now?" he turned around to face preparing himself for another one of her carefully barbed rejections.

"Here. Together. Giving this… us a real shot?" she thought out loud and despite his moving words just a few minutes ago she was still a little hesitant on if he wanted her or not. However the smile that graced his face when he heard her suggestion calmed her nerves.

"Us, I like the sound of that." He replied.

And there's that look again. Joy and satisfaction at finally getting something you've longed for. Only this time she saw the love clear as day in his eyes. It made her heart thump faster and she could have sworn she heard his speed up as well.

Maybe her eyes were telling him the same things his are telling her.

She leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, savoring the feel of his lips finally on hers again. "Me too."

* * *

**And that's it.**

**Poor Enzo was left alone with Elijah and Marcel all that time :P**

**I hope this wasn't too terrible. I'm not quite happy with it honestly. I was going for angst and I don't really think I hit the mark, but oh well. I hope it gave you some Klaroline feels anyways.**

**Let me know what you think, reviews make me smile (:**


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